Strategic Review

Client Overview

ExcelSource was asked to programme manage a complex HRO deployment for an outsourcer to a large FTSE-100 organisation.

Challenge

Our client had implemented many complex project of this nature using its largely waterfall-based implementation methods. Their client however, had made a successful transition to Agile methods across its entire organisation and was using this to maintain an ageing HR and payroll application no longer suited to a large corporate. This caused a clash of cultures and a middle ground had to be found to define an implementation method for this long term project that would suit both parties. Other challenges were deploying a very new software application, integrating this with a diverse and complex IT infrastructure expected from a FTSE-100 organisation and dealing with a transition to a largely off-shored delivery team. Defining the roll-out of a largely self-service application was a further added complexity.

Solution

Following the initial training of the new software, the 50-person delivery team set out to define the solution, the operating model, the definition and configuration of the 10s of interfaces and the building of the new operations team during the due diligence, contracting and delivery phases of the project. A bespoke delivery method was agreed across the company-wide project governance between client and supplier.

Benefit

The key benefit of having a more agile iterative implementation method was achieved by combining both Prince II and Agile techniques. Different parts of the service could be implemented, tested and reconciled with the old outdated application in situ. Overall project risk was reduced by splitting the programme into 2 key delivery phases. Both phases were then delivered in parallel and staggered in order to achieve the target delivery dates.